Fluid mixing apparatus



Jan. 10, 1967 w. w. wALDx-:N 3,297,305

FLUID MIXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1957 j j j jj 2*1 54 I N VEN TOR.Z4 WL'ZZL'@ W wl/de@ BY Man/LL'dC/y, Dwz [els CQ Marc/i TTRNEYS PatentedJan. 10, 1967 This invention relates to means for mixing fluids, andmore particularly to a chemical fluid mixing apparatus by which variouschemical uids may be mixed or commingled with each other.

An object of the invention is to provide `a novel and improved apparatusfor mixing a number of chemicals, such as chemical fluids, which isextremely simple in its construction, and effective and foolproof in itsoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedmixing apparatus as above set forth, wherein an orifice-containing,jet-type injection head is provided, disposed in a stream of fluid, saidhead being arranged to automatically clear itself or prevent foulingwhen the openings thereof tend to become clogged with particles.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluidmixing apparatus in accordance with the above, w-herein completecommingling or mixing of several uids is effected without the use ofmovable parts, such mixing utilizing the ilow or movement of the fluids,instead. v

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of -an improved,clog-resistant orice means in a mixing apparatus, which means is ofextremely simple construction while at the same time being reliable andeffective in its operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved fluidmixing apparatus Ihaving all of the above features and advantages, whilebeing nevertheless easy and economical to manufacture, and reliablyoperable throughout an extended period of use without requiringattention or servicing.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the severalviews, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in yaxial section and partly in elevation, ofan improved uid mixing apparatus made in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in transverse section,the section being taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a front and elevational view, enlarged, of the dischargeorifice means of the injector tube of the apparatus.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE l, the improved fluid mixing apparatus shown thereincomprises an elongated, tubular mixing chamber adapted to have a primaryfluid flow through it from left to right, as indicated by the arrows 11.

Disposed within the chamber 10 are means by which opposite, swirlingmovements are imparted to the uid passing through the chamber, saidmeans comprising a plurality of successive members 13 spacedlongitudinally of the chamber 10 and extending across the passageprovided t-hereby. Each member 13 comprises a plurality of plates orvanes 15 extending radially outward from a central point or portion 16of the member, said vanes being angularly disposed in the manner ofpropeller blades, by which uid striking the vanes will have imparted toit a swirling movement. Also, in accordance with this invention, eachsucceeding swirling means is arranged to reverse the swirling movementimparted to the uid by the preceding means, this being accomplished byopposite slopes given to the sets of individual vanes.

Thus, in accordance With the invention, the opposite swirls imparted tothe luid and the substantial turbulence and agitation resultingtherefrom effect a complete mixing or commingling of all constiutents ofthe fluid stream.

Ahead of the air swirling means 13 I provide a uid injector tube 20,said tube passing through a side wall 21 of the mixing chamber 10 and atits inner end having a laterally-extended, nozzle -portion 22 directedagainst the intended flow of fluid in the mixing chamber 10 as indicatedby the arrows 11.

Moreover, in accordance with this invention, I mount on the dischargenozzle 22 a novel and improved, orificeproviding means 24 adapted to beself-clearing. That is, the orifice-providing means 24, in response topressure wit-hin the discharge nozzle 22, may distort and cause anenlargement of the orifices thereof, so as to dislodge and dispose ofparticles or obstructions which might become lodged in said orices.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, the orifice-providing means comprises aflexible diaphragm 25 which is preferably of conical shape, having amounting flange or rim 26 adapted to encircle and grip the dischargenozzle 22 for supporting the diaphragm across the end thereof. Thediaphragm 25 has a plurality of annular, flexible portions 27 definingdischarge orifices, ve such portions being illustrated in FIGURE 3. Eachof the orificedening portions 27 is adapted to deforrn or stretch inresponse to increased pressure in the discharge nozzle 22, such as mightoccur if the orices should become clogged with particles of dirt, orchemical particles. Upon such enlargement occurring, the dirt orchemical particles will be forced through the orifices, thereby clearingt'he same and permitting the intended and proper operation of thedischarge nozzle.

For the purpose of introducing a chemical fluid into the injector tube20 I provide a branch tube 30 secured to a side wall of the injectortube and extending laterally from the latter, said branch tube beingconnected with a suitable type of chemical pump 32, as indicated in FIG-URE 1. Also, for the purpose of facilitating the intermixing of thechemical fluid supplied to the injector tube 20 with the primary uidowing through the mixing chamber 10, I provide a compressed air tank 34,attached to the injector tube 20 and adapted to force compressed airtherethrough, for discharge from the nozzle 22.

In accordance with the above construction, chemical fluid which isintroduced into the injector tube 20 from the pump 32 will mix with thecompressed `air passing through said tube, and the mixture will bedischarged from the nozzle 22 in a direction opposite to the flow of-primary uid through the mixing chamber 10. There will ensue a mixingand commingling of the two fluids and also the compresesed air, and suchmixing will be facilitated by the oppositely-acting, swirling means 13,whereupon a complete `admixture of the uids will occur.

It will be readily observed that, aside from the components of the pump32, there are no movable parts in my mixing apparatus which may becomeinoperative due to corrosion or other factors, yet a complete andeffective mixing of fluids is had. Moreover, the construction andyassembly of the various components are simple, and the manufacture ofthe apparatus may thus be economically carried out.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims,and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for mixing chemical uids, comprising an elongate,tubular mixing chamber of substantially constant cross-sectional area,adapted to have uid ow through it under pressure axially in apredetermined direction, said chamber having relatively smooth innerwalls; a plurality of stationary means disposed in succession withinsaid chamber at different, longitudinallyspaced locations, to dividesaid chamber into a plurality of compartments, and each of said meansbeing engaged with said inner walls for support thereby and being formedto impede the ow and impart a swirling rotative action to the uid owingthrough said chamber, each succeeding one of said means reversing thedirection of action of the swirl of the fluid caused by said precedingmeans, whereby each compartment comprises a separate mixing area inwhich a turbulence of the mixing fluids is set up which is differentfrom that in the preceding or succeeding areas, a fluid injection tubeextending into said mixing chamber ahead of said duid-swirling means,having a discharge nozzle in the chamber directed axially of the chamberand generally against the direction of the intended flow of fluidthrough the chamber, said discharge nozzle having a plurality ofinclined orices disposed about a central point and directed angularlyoutward of the axis of the mixing chamber in divergent directions andangularly toward the said smooth inner walls; and means disposedexteriorly of the mixing chamber, for forcing a chemical ilud underpressure into said injection tube.

2. Apparatus according to claim l1, wherein the means for forcing achemical fluid under pressure into said injection tube comprises an aircompressor connected to a chemical uid supply pipe leading to saiddischarge nozzle and operating to force a mixture of compressed air andchemical fluid into the mixing chamber counter to the direction of ow ofthe fluid therein and create a condition of turbulence.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the orices of the dischargenozzle are self-cleaning, being formed each by an annulus of flexiblematerial defining the discharge orice which is sufficiently rigid towithstand the presence of the fluid in the chamber owing thereagainstand sufficiently exible to yield to enlarge said orice under the inuenceof a pressure build-up within the nozzle.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stationary means forcreating swirls comprise each a member formed with a central passagebordered by sloping vanes extending radially from said passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 811,969 2/1906Swan 26l-l8.2 1,450,550 4/1923 Hudson 48-180 1,514,132 11/ 1924Cortelyou 48-180 2,213,122 8/1940 Gohre 261-75 2,231,489 2/1941 Andersonet al 259-151 2,252,076 8/1941 Juterbock 259-4 2,312,639 3/1943Gronemeyer 259--4 2,374,517 4/1945 Wilson 48-180 2,791,466 5/1957 Crisp299-141 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

H. BERMAN, Examiner.

I. C. SOLLENBERGER, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MIXING CHEMICAL FLUIDS, COMPRISING AN ELONGATE,TUBULAR MIXING CHAMBER OF SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA,ADAPTED TO HAVE FLUID FLOW THROUGH IT UNDER PRESSURE AXIALLY IN APREDETERMINED DIRECTION, SAID CHAMBER HAVING RELATIVELY SMOOTH INNERWALLS; A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY MEANS DISPOSED IN SUCCESSION WITHINSAID CHAMBER AT DIFFERENT, LONGITUDINALLYSPACED LOCATIONS, TO DIVIDESAID CHAMBER INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS, AND EACH OF SAID MEANSBEING ENGAGED WITH SAID INNER WALLS FOR SUPPORT THEREBY AND BEING FORMEDTO IMPEDE THE FLOW AND IMPART A SWIRLING ROTATIVE ACTION TO THE FLUIDFLOWING THROUGH SAID CHAMBER, EACH SUCCEEDING ONE OF SAID MEANSREVERSING THE DIRECTION OF ACTION OF THE SWIRL OF THE FLUID CAUSED BYSAID PRECEDING MEANS, WHEREBY EACH COMPARTMENT COMPRISES A SEPARATEMIXING AREA IN WHICH A TURBULENCE OF THE MIXING FLUIDS IS SET UP WHICHIS DIFFERENT FROM THAT IN THE PRECEDING OR SUCCEEDING AREAS, A FLUIDINJECTION TUBE EXTENDING INTO SAID MIXING CHAMBER AHEAD OF SAIDFLUID-SWIRLING MEANS, HAVING A DISCHARGE NOZZLE IN THE CHAMBER DIRECTEDAXIALLY OF THE CHAMBER AND GENERALLY AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF THEINTENDED FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE CHAMBER, SAID DISCHARGE NOZZLE HAVINGA PLURALITY OF INCLINED ORIFICES DISPOSED ABOUT A CENTRAL POINT ANDDIRECTED ANGULARLY OUTWARD OF THE AXIS OF THE MIXING CHAMBER INDIVERGENT DIRECTIONS AND ANGULARLY TOWARD THE SAID SMOOTH INNER WALLS;AND MEANS DISPOSED EXTERIORLY OF THE MIXING CHAMBER, FOR FORCING ACHEMICAL FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID INJECTION TUBE.